President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree dismissing Vitalii Barabash from his position as Head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration in the Pokrovsk District of the Donetsk Region. However, this does not mean that the community has lost its leader. Rather, it signifies a transition from administrative to military service in pursuit of the shared objective of victory.

Vitalii Barabash, who had run the administration since June 2020, decided to resign in order to enlist in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He noted that this was not a spontaneous decision, but rather a deliberate step that had been on the horizon for a long time.

‘I am not leaving my position – I am joining the army. That is where I belong now,’ Vitalii Barabash wrote in his post.

He explained in detail the reasons for this step in his comments:

• Repeated submission of reports: The idea of joining the army is not new. Vitalii Barabash first submitted a report in 2022, after Avdiivka fell completely under enemy control. He has submitted several reports since then, most recently in March 2025. In an interview with the Decentralisation Portal in the summer, he revealed that he had initially been told, ‘It is not the right time! Focus on building fortifications!’
• Effectiveness for Victory: The former head of the City Military Administration believes that his experience in combat, management and administration will be more useful to the army in situations where there is a shortage of officers on the front line. ‘The situation demands it... I believe that my place is now in the army,’ he said.
• Transfer of affairs: Vitalii Barabash guaranteed that the administration would not encounter any difficulties in his absence. He emphasised that he had an excellent team and professional deputies. Following the occupation of the city and the subsequent evacuation of the administration to Dnipro, the scope of work was narrowed down to a few key areas, which are currently being handled by approximately 30 members of the former team.

Vitalii Barabash’s experience is unique as it combines military service, politics, business, and public administration:

• Military background: In 2014, when the russian-Ukrainian war broke out, he volunteered for the front. He took part in some of the fiercest battles of that period, including those in the Avdiivka industrial zone, Donetsk airport, Pisky and Mariinka. He was wounded in Mariinka in 2016. Since 2020, he has been on a fixed-term contract while also heading the administration.
• Public and political activity: Until 2019, he held various positions, including an assistant to MPs.
• Education and business: He holds two higher education degrees and has significant experience in business consulting and manufacturing.

In his address, Vitalii Barabash thanked the President of Ukraine, the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, and his colleagues for their trust and support, as well as the community. He also expressed complete confidence in his future return:

‘Avdiivka is more than just a dot on the map to me. I am not leaving; I am simply changing my position... I am confident that we will return to our city.’

According to Vitalii Barabash, he will be serving in the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where he has been awaited for a long time.